The Sound of Chaos
by Interlacing Stars
Summary: Before the earth was created, Chaos ruled. HimenoSasame
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The night sky is constantly blinking and sparkling, so many wonders hidden within them. Yet, its vast mysteriousness does not distract from its dramatic beauty. This was a fact that Himeno would've readily admitted as she stood on her balcony, staring up at the stars, a lazy smile on her face. Though she wasn't distracted by the mystery of the depths of space, she sure was distracted from the books that were scattered across her desk. Midterms or no midterms, the beauty of the universe could not be ignored, especially on such a clear, cold night.

Blinking, shaking herself awake from her fleeting thoughts, she stretched noisily, having stood in that one position for at least a couple hours. Sprawling her hand over her mouth as she let out a long, loud yawn, she walked slowly inside. Glancing at the clock as she walked past it, she frowned. _2:42 a.m. I've been up for way too long,_ she thought to herself, silently scolding herself for getting so consumed in the stars.

Suddenly feeling very tired, she walked into her dark bedroom and flopped onto her bed. Too tired to even curl up under her comforter, she laid on her back, arms and legs stretched out, staring up into the darkness. Within minutes, the darkness that she stared at slowly seeped into her mind, sending her into a dreamland filled with knights and snow.

* * *

Five years had passed since the battle against the Princess of Disaster, and so much had occurred in that short time. Himeno was still the Prétear, but it was more title than duty, now that peace had returned to the earth. Her life was almost completely normal, spending most of her time as a college student, enrolled in the Awayuki University. She had long left the comforts of that huge, showy mansion that her father and step-mother lived in, instead choosing to live in a small, modest apartment. Of course, her father hadn't allowed her to live alone without supplying her with _some_ support, so she didn't really need to work and was well taken care of.

The Leafe Knights, Kei, Go, Mannen, Hajime and Shin, had returned to Leafania. With one tearful goodbye to Himeno, they disappeared from the face of the Earth, unable to remain or return for a reason that was left unexplained to Himeno. The worst part was that Himeno was unable to go to Leafania to see them, the portal to that wondrous place closed to her. So for five whole years, Himeno's life was void of those five, lively knights.

While she missed them terribly, Himeno was consoled with the fact that Hayate and Sasame were still with her. From what little was explained to her, Himeno understood that Hayate had been able to remain on Earth due to their love for each other. It must be explained, of course, that the love that Himeno had for Kei, Go, Mannen, Hajime and Shin was a brotherly type of love. But the feelings she had for Hayate ran deeper, more passionate and romantic. This is why it made sense that Hayate was allowed to remain with Himeno. If Hayate, her beloved, had been stripped away from her without being able to ever see him again for an unknown reason, as had occurred with the other knights, she would have eventually turned into another Princess of Disaster, bitter and cold with the loss of love.

But, though this explanation satisfied her, she did not understand why Sasame also remained on Earth. For, although it was true that he and Takako had been in love, there was never any danger that Takako would turn into the Princess of Disaster, and their relationship had ended only a few months after Takako returned to herself.

* * *

When the Princess of Disaster returned to her true from, back to Takako, she lost all her powers, including her original power as Prétear. But power did not mean a thing to either her or Sasame, not as long as they were together. Finally, after many miserable years that they had spent alone and longing, they finally had someone to truly and deeply love.

That was how their life together appeared in the few months they were a couple. Their relationship was the envy of every person that knew them, aside from Himeno and Hayate, for it seemed to be full of love and bliss. Sasame was an absolute gentleman, kind, considerate and clever, and Takako was gentle, wise and beautiful. Almost every time they were seen together, Takako would be gazing up at Sasame in complete adoration, a smile on her lips, while Sasame looked down at her with such tenderness it could weaken women's knees.

But, beneath the surface, an agitation consumed them, filling them with unease. For, as Takako stared up at Sasame, she saw something missing in his tender eyes. Though it was barely noticeable, she saw how shallow the love he had for her was. Beneath the studied affection lay complete unhappiness, a sadness deep and consuming. She saw how he was only going through the motions of love, that he no longer loved her as he had before she turned into the Princess of Disaster, and hadn't felt such deep feelings for her in a long time. She had been replaced by someone else, someone similar to her, only stronger, bolder, and braver.

So, with the heaviest of hearts, for she truly did love him, Takako did what had to be done. She let Sasame go, ended what was never meant to be. In a quiet, quavering voice, Takako broke up with him on a day when the sky was swirling with turmoil, the rain falling unceasingly.

Taken by surprise at the sudden end, Sasame asked, "Why?"

With a bright, forced smile, Takako replied, "I have been given the normal life that had been denied me as Prétear and as Princess of Disaster. I have to live it the way I was destined to…and that means that the Knight of Sound should have no place in my life. I should have realized this sooner and for that, I'm very sorry."

Sasame could hear the pain in her voice, the pain she tried to hide as she told him this obviously concocted explanation. He was about to object, when she leaned and gently kissed him on the cheek. With that kiss, he sensed a final goodbye, felt the sad determination that swelled out of her. There was nothing he could say to change her mind, and so he said nothing.

Blinking back the tears, Takako smiled at him. "I'm sure you'll love her the way she deserves to be loved."

Confused, Sasame peered into her eyes, trying to understand who she was talking about. Realizing Takako had discovered the truth of his emotions for her, how shallow and fleeting they were, he hung his head in shame. Full of remorse, he said, "Forgive me, Takako."

Taking a hold of his shoulders, giving him a slight shake to make him look at her, she shook her head fiercely. "No, Sasame. I should be asking you for forgiveness. I had your love once, long ago, but I did not take it. I had my chance with you, and I missed it." With a sad smile, she said, "But I'm glad that I was able to share a portion of my life with you, and I thank you for giving me that chance. I hope she'll see your love and hold onto it tight. I'm sorry that I did not have the sense to."

With a sigh, Takako turned away from Sasame, the ache in her heart slowly filling with warmth, knowing that Sasame would finally find happiness. Over her shoulder, she said, "Go to her, Sasame. And tell her what you had been unable to tell me for so long a time."

Gratitude filling him, Sasame closed his eyes, bowing his head to her in thanks. Rising from his seat, a thrill raced through him, and he felt alive in a way he hadn't felt in a long while.

* * *

On that day, a day that felt like both an ending and a beginning, Hayate asked Himeno to be his girlfriend. Thus, their life both ended and began, but in another way completely. When Sasame heard the happy news, his beginning quickly became an end, an end so vast it encompassed his very own world. But his pain was quickly and skillfully hidden, and he feigned the joy he was supposed to feel for the new couple. As the years passed, he kept this mask on, silently enduring, living his life as an onlooker, an outsider.

These same years that Sasame suffered, Himeno and Hayate remained together, spending as much time together as possible. Their love was the kind of love that fairytales are made of: young and passionate, light and graceful, filling their lives until all there was in their world was each other.

But this love, though consuming, was still young. Though it seemed unnecessary, considering how intense it was, it still needed to grow. Their love needed to mature past the blushing and hand-holding, past the love notes and chaste kisses. It needed to grow to that true, undying state, where sacrifices could be made without regret, where hesitation did not exist, where they resided in each other's heart.

As the years passed and they grew older, their love did not grow with them. It stayed at that young love stage, unmovable. They sensed the unnaturalness of this, silently acknowledged to themselves that something was wrong, that something was missing. It was as if they had the candle, but no flame. But they ignored it, hoping that things would change, currently satisfied with what they had. So, what was wrong was left alone, undisturbed with silence. By ignoring this wrong, they created another wrong, for if they had talked to each other about what was amiss, their story might have changed for the better.

While they remained together, each knowing that it wasn't progressing correctly but not saying a thing, another suffered. It was a person they knew, a person with whom their friendship had become strained for a reason unknown. The Knight of Sound, Sasame, was suffering quietly, hiding his pain and loneliness with soft smiles and kind eyes, as he always did. This was a suffering that he had felt before, but this time, it seemed to eat away at him, seemed to pull at him from all sides, leaving him empty. It was in this slowly growing emptiness, hidden deep within him, that the seed of chaos was being planted, waiting for the recess to become big enough for it to bloom.

Once again, they did not see what was coming. Too consumed they were in themselves, in the problems that seemed to fill their lives. If only they took the time to look at themselves, took the time to see how their worlds were beginning to crumble around them. They did not see, just like before, until it was too late.

* * *

**Whoo! After months and months of hiatus, I'm finally back. And guess what? I discovered that I didn't quite like most of the chapters that I've written. Much too short, not enough detail, blahblahblah. So, here we go. A redo of sorts. Same story, same plot...only better. Like that time when peanut butter discovered jelly and met on a couple pieces of bread. Better is good...it's better. We all know it, there's no denying it. And yes, I am completely exhausted, considering the fact that I decided to rewrite the first chapter at 1 o'clock in the morning. Why does inspiration occur when sleep is needed? It's ridiculous. Well, that's it. Btw, yes, this is a Himeno and Sasame story. The reasons are these: Sasame is a total babe and I always liked him a little bit more than Hayate, because Hayate was always too harsh and cruel and stupid while Sasame was a total tease but super nice. And though he did in fact betray Himeno for the Princess of Disaster...that was only in the anime. Besides, that glimpse of him without glasses and in a long, billowing cape...total bad boy attitude. Oh, if you read the manga, Sasame totally loves Himeno. And that combination of bad boy/nice boy is absolutely delicious. **

**Sorry to all the peoples that liked the original and wanted to know what happens next. To be honest, I probably didn't know what was happening next. But, do not worry, folks. Like I said, I will rewrite it, but the basics of it will remain the same. And by basics, I mean everything. I'm just adding, adjusting, etc. And don't worry. I'm not gonna disappear for a year once I'm done rewriting. I'm here to stay. For this story, anyway. My other stories...we'll see. Unfortuantely.**

**I do not own Prétear.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Himeno awoke to the sound of her alarm clock blaring. For how long said alarm had been going off could not be said; since high school, she had been blessed with an almost magical talent to ignore the sound, no matter its volume. Aware of the fact that the irritating noise that had broken through her deep sleep meant that it was well past time to wake up, she groggily groaned, putting all effort and focus into moving her arm so that she could hit the snooze button. Once she was able to open her eyes to the tiniest of slivers, she stared at the clock, waiting for the blurred numbers to make sense as her eyes focused.

"11:35…" she mumbled to herself, turning onto her back, dwelling in the sensation of sinking slightly in her very comfortable bed. Her mind began to slowly drift its way back to the dark comforts of sleep, when it finally realized what time it was and darted back to reality. Eyes snapping open, Himeno jumped out of bed. "11:35? I'm late!"

In a crazed flurry of blankets, clothes, shoes, and, at one point, water, Himeno scrambled frantically about her apartment in her rush to get ready. All the while, a stream of expletives and oaths escaped her mouth in a steady manner as more time passed in her hurry to get dressed and out the door.

After a surprisingly short amount of time, Himeno raced out the front door of her building. In her attempt to simultaneously pull on her jacket, shake the messy hair out of her face, eat the piece of toast she had managed to make before she left, and not drop her books, she collided with a solid, tall figure.

Strong hands grabbed her gently, preventing her from falling, and a strange gust of wind prevented her books from toppling out of her hands. Finally shaking her hair from her eyes, Himeno blinked in the sudden sunlight and looked up. Seeing who it was, she smiled happily. "Thanks."

Hayate returned the smile, eyes dancing in amusement. "Always a pleasure. May I ask what the rush is about?"

Looking at him like he was the cutest, silliest thing she had ever seen, she tiptoed and planted a soft kiss on his lips. With a small wave, Himeno began walking away with quick strides. "I'm late for class, Hayate! But I'll see you tonight, 'kay?"

Laughing, Hayate easily caught up to her even though his stride was much more relaxed. Taking her books from her, he said, "I think you've forgotten something."

Still walking quickly, Himeno frowned in confusion. She looked at the books in his hand (those were the ones she needed for class), checked to make sure that she was wearing clothes (she was), and felt if she washed her face (maybe not as well as she could have…). Finding everything in relative ship-shape order, she figured he meant she forgot to tell him something. "I love you?"

Hayate, who had been watching her check everything with much enjoyment, laughed at her hesitant statement. "Himeno, you don't have class today," he reminded her, still chuckling. "They rescheduled it to tomorrow afternoon."

Stopping dead in her tracks, the memories of her professor making numerous statements of a similar nature and of talking with Hayate eagerly about finally having a day off from such a difficult class suddenly filled her mind. Groaning, Himeno suddenly felt very, very tired, all her energy for the morning used up. Turning to Hayate, she rubbed her head embarrassedly. As she looked at him, an expression of realization crossed her face. Frowning, she said, "Hayate, I think you forgot something, too. Don't you have to be at work right now?"

Smiling fondly, Hayate placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I took the day off. I wanted to spend time with my Prétear."

Glad to have such a thoughtful boyfriend, Himeno wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. "I'm glad you did."

Suddenly, a noise that sounded like a small bear growling filled the air. Blushing, Himeno looked down at her complaining belly, putting a hand on it in an attempt to silence the noise. "I guess a piece of toast isn't enough of a breakfast for me."

Laughing, Hayate took her hand and gently pulled her towards her building. "C'mon; I'll cook you some breakfast."

* * *

In Himeno's apartment, a thorough search was being made by a slightly frustrated Hayate. Just a few moments ago, he had been staring at Himeno's almost empty refrigerator in amazement (there had only been a couple cans of juice and half a block of butter). Currently, he was elbow deep in cabinet, digging through various canned goods.

All the while, Himeno sat at the counter, watching Hayate fondly. She knew that Hayate's attempt to find something edible was feeble at best. But he seemed determined to try, so she let him. Compared to his apartment, which was always stocked with food, ready to be chopped and sautéed and broiled at any moment's notice, her apartment was like the Sahara Desert: void of sustenance and any means of survival.

Turning, the furrow between his eyebrows deepening, Hayate said, "I don't understand why you never have any food."

At this, Himeno smiled. Standing, she walked up to him and put his arms around his neck. Automatically, his hands rose to rest on her waist, even though he was still frowning. Tilting her head slightly, Himeno said, "Why should I? I have this amazing boyfriend who always brings me food or takes me out to eat. In fact, this same amazing boyfriend is going to take me out to eat in a couple of minutes."

Shaking his head, his frown replaced by a smirk, Hayate said, "Oh, really? I better get out of here before this amazing boyfriend gets here. I don't think he'll like knowing his girlfriend is seeing such a handsome man on the side."

"If you're leaving, you might as well take me with you. I'll even let you take me out and pay for my meal." Laughing at the slightly disbelieving look on Hayate's face, Himeno grabbed his hand and pulled him towards and out the door.

* * *

With a deep sigh, the kind that only those with a truly satisfied and contented soul could sound, Himeno patted her very full belly. With another sigh, she slowly sunk lower into her seat, eyes closing drowsily. "Hayate…you are the greatest boyfriend a girl could ever have."

Chuckling at Himeno, who looked about ready to take a nap right there in her seat, Hayate stood. "Why is it that you only say that _after_ I feed you?" Pulling her reluctant body to a standing position, ignoring her noisy complaints at the movement and at his question, he interrupted her mumblings. "Come on, Himeno. I have something I want to show you."

Groaning, Himeno leaned against him, trying to take as much weight off her overwhelmed legs as she could. "No…..can't….move…..too….full…."

With a laugh, Hayate picked her up as if she weighed nothing, even though she knew that, at the moment, she was definitely nowhere near weighing nothing. Smiling at her look of surprise, too shocked to voice her disapproval of his lifting her, he said, "Is this method of travel more preferred?"

With a blush, Himeno nodded. When he smiled sweetly in response and began walking, Himeno snuggled herself into a more comfortable position, resigning to her fate of being nestled in the arms of a handsome man who loved her as much as she loved him. Gazing up at the man that she had loved from the moment she first ran into him, she smiled softly at the thought. _Only with this man did I ever have the urge to cause extreme bodily injury to someone. He used to be so cruel and rude, treating me as if I were a useless nuisance. But he had his reasons, even though I did not know them at first. We had been fighting the Princess of Disaster, the Pr__é__tear whose love he had not reciprocated. He knew that he had caused her transformation, caused her to turn evil, and it was all because of his inability to truly love her. It filled him with a remorse so cold and cruel that he because just that. He was always filled with the fear of a repeat of history, and so he pushed me away. This was the worst move he could've made. How could I resist the allure of the distant and harsh Knight of Wind, the one who constantly pushed me to better myself, the one that irritated me to no end, the one that I loved and still love?_

She grinned up at him as he shifted her weight in his arms slightly, more for her comfort than for his. _Now that Earth has returned to peace, he has become so much kinder, our love easing him back to what he used to be, the man Takako had fallen in love with. This is completely understandable; I'd definitely pick this romantic, loving Hayate over the cruel, mean Hayate that used to make me cry and run, turning to Sasame for comfort._

Pausing in her thoughts, a name escaped her lips, and it shocked her how she whispered it, so revered and heartbroken. As if it were a precious possession that she had lost. "Sasame…"

Hearing her whisper, Hayate frowned and looked at her. "What?"

Clearing her throat, flustered, Himeno gestured wildly as she tried to grasp for an explanation. "Oh, no, it's nothing, really. I mean…I was…um…I was just thinking that…um…about…Go and Mannen and all the others. And then I was thinking about I…er…we…haven't seen Sasame in a while." With another cough, Himeno smiled innocently up at Hayate, still completely flustered.

With a look that conveyed his obvious disbelief and unhappiness with her weak explanation, Hayate set her down. "Sasame? He's busy with his radio show, wallowing in self-pity."

Shaking his head disgustedly at the thought of the Knight of Sound, he turned back to Himeno, changing the subject with a smile on his lips. "Well, here we are."

Himeno, who had been lost in her wandering thoughts of Hayate and Sasame, she looked around and gasped. "It's our beach! We haven't been here together in ages!"

Eyes sparkling happily, HImeno dwelled in the sensation of reminiscence. This was the beach that she and Mawata had walked together to, joined by their deep unhappiness with their lives. It was here that Hayate had raced to, breathless and fearful, desperate to find her safe and unharmed. And once he found her, his relief was immensely evident, his body sagging and eyes closed tight as if he had been imaging the worse and sought to erase all those thoughts from him. So she raced into his arms and cried out her heart into his chest, because he had worried, because someone actually cared. And he had held her close to him, letting her draw comfort and release all her fears and doubts. It was at that moment that her heart had accepted him and his had accepted her. And, later on, this was the very place that he had asked her to be his girlfriend.

She turned, glowing, to Hayate. "Why did you bring me here?"

Smiling, Hayate led her to the beach. "I wanted to make one of your wildest fantasies come true."

Eyes widening in surprise, Himeno whispered in awe. "Really? Out here, in public, where anyone could see us?"

Hayate laughed at this, pulling her into his arms. "For you, I'd do it with a million people watching."

Reaching her hand up to his forehead, she felt for a sign of sickness. "Are you feeling okay, Hayate? You sound as if you are coming down with something. Maybe I should take you home instead."

Chuckling at this, shaking his head at her, he said, "Seriously? You've been begging me to make sandcastles with you for years and when I finally agree, even going so far as to set it all up by myself, you want to go home." Sighing, he turned, beginning to walk away. "Fine. Take me home."

Laughing, Himeno grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. "Wait a minute, Hayate! You set everything up?"

Nodding, he gestured to the sand, near the rocks, where a couple pails and shovels were waiting for them. Taking his hand in hers, Himeno began walking towards the beach toys, Hayate following her dutifully. Smiling, turning to glance at him, Himeno asked, "Why the change of heart, Hayate?"

Ignoring her question, Hayate began to walk faster, effectively pulling her along with him. Upon reaching the pails and shovels, he dropped to his knees, not paying any mind to the clothes he was dirtying by doing so, he said, "Here, the green pail and shovel are yours, and the blue ones are mine."

Immediately, he began diligently filling his bucket with sand. Himeno simply stood there, smiling softly, a gentle look in her eye. He looked up at her, head cocked in a silent question, and gestured to her bucket and shovel. She sunk to her knees slowly and grabbed her shovel, which was already placed in the sand, only the handle exposed.

Smiling at this, Hayate returned to his task of filling his bucket up with sand. "There shouldn't be any rocks, right?" he asked, as he picked a small rock from his pail, showing Himeno, who nodded in response and began filling her own pail with sand.

Upon hearing the sound of something hard hitting the bottom of her pail, she frowned. "I must've shoveled a rock into my bucket already," she said, and began to sift through the sand she had just poured into her pail. But what she found was not the kind of rock she expected. "What the…"

Pulling a ring out of the sand, she gasped. It was a beautiful, its band of silver and the its setting a sapphire the color of Hayate's eyes surrounded by little diamonds. In surprise, Himeno pulled her gaze from the ring to Hayate's, his eyes dancing in laughter. "…Hayate?"

Smiling, Hayate stood, and reached down to pull Himeno up. Clasping her hands in his, gazing deeply into her eyes, he said, "Himeno, I'm not asking you to marry me. I just want you to know that I love you, forever and always. And I wanted you to have a visual reminder of it."

"Hayate," Himeno said breathlessly, caught up by his e motion. "I love you, too. Thank you." Slipping on the ring, she looked back to Hayate, smiling when she saw the look of pure joy fill his gaze. He pulled her closer to him, gently kissing her on the lips.

Himeno returned the kiss, ignoring the relief she felt that it was not an engagement ring she wore, ignoring the pang of guilt that resounded within her with every heartbeat.

* * *

Later that night, lying upon her bed, Himeno stared up at the ring she held above her head. She watched it twinkle and shine in the light, displaying a purity that made her feel selfish and dirty. This ring represented love, something her mother had often told her stories about. When it had first been described to her, that feeling of happiness, freedom and purity, she had desired it. And when her mother died, she had desired it even more. So even though the feeling she shared with Hayate was superficial, she still wanted it. For it was all she had in her lonely life.

_Does that make me such a horrible person? _she wondered as she put the ring upon her nightstand and turned her back to it, unable to look at it any longer. _To want love to such an extent? I don't think that it's so bad. But why is it that Hayate's love is not enough? Why does his ring fill me with such a heaviness? We're finally moving forward, aren't we?_

Closing her eyes in confusion, her mind was filled with a pair of warm, grey eyes. Eyes opening in realization, Himeno thought, _That's right. Sasame would know the answer to my questions. Or at least he would listen to me and offer whatever advice he had. He always offered his shoulders and ears to me, no matter how foolish my problems must've seemed in comparison to what he was going through. He always made time for me. I wonder what would've happened if I hadn't been so caught up with the seemingly crude Hayate…_

She shook her head roughly, shaking the train of thought she had been on, ignoring the butterflies that had awakened in her stomach at the thought of Sasame. "I haven't seen him in a long time," she murmured, looking up at the ceiling as she lay on her bed.

Suddenly remembering something, she flipped onto her stomach and hung over the edge of her bed. Rummaging through some of the things she had beneath her bed, she finally found what she had been searching for. With a cry of victory, Himeno pulled a small box from underneath her bed. It was just a little wooden thing with small, intricate designs and pictures carved into it, but it was very special to Himeno.

She stared at it fondly for a moment, tracing the designs and pictures that covered it with a gentle caress. With a smile, she opened it, and as soon as she lifted the lid, soft, haunting music filled the air. At the sound, she immediately relaxed, all thoughts and feelings of guilt erased from her mind.

This music box was a present from Sasame, a gift he told her to use whenever she felt sad or unhappy. With a very serious face, he had said that its tune was a magical tune, one that would take all her feelings of inadequacy or pain away. He had sworn to this as the Knight of Sound, and so far, it had never failed. Whenever Himeno heard the tune, it filled her very heart and soul with feelings of happiness and security. It was as if Sasame were right there beside her, taking away all her pain and suffering and replacing it with a contentment only those truly loved knew.

She lay down, the music box nestled within her arms, and closed her eyes. She listened to the beautiful music, her heart swelling fondly and slowly fell asleep. And, as the music flowed up and around her, deep within the fabric of her heart, beyond the thin threads the color of Hayate's eyes, there was a single, gold thread that began to shine brighter and grow stronger. It was a single thread that, when strummed, sounded a single name: Sasame.

* * *

**Yay! Another chapter! After such a long time. Man, am I slacking. (*sigh*) I do have an explanation, though. I accidentally threw away the notebook that I had written the first and only draft of this story. I still have the basic plot written, but everything else, (*poof*). Gone. Sadness. Anyway, I will try to update this story more often. We shall see. (-_-')**

**I do not own Prétear.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Walking hand-in-hand with Hayate, Himeno turned to him, laughing in happiness. He smiled to her in return, his blue eyes twinkling. But this joy that he wore was merely a mask, and beneath it lay a restless emotion of unease that set her heart racing in trepidation. _

_She pulled him to a stop, and as she began to ask him what was wrong, he interrupted her. His mask of joy began to slip from his face, displaying something that filled her with horror, for it was a look that she knew all too well. It was a look that she had seen in the mirror after a day spent with Hayate, a look of guilt and despair. But Hayate quickly set the mask back in place and it was almost as if it no longer existed._

_She turned away, unable to bear his joy-filled gaze any longer now that she knew it was not his true emotion. But his grasped her shoulders in his hands and roughly turned her back to him, to face him. In shock, she looked up to Hayate, not used to such harsh treatment from him. Yet there was no anger, no violent emotion in his eyes; instead, there was a soft smile, a gentle gaze, and he placed a necklace around her neck, one so long that it rested on the ground. Cupping her face in his hand, he smiled at her and then turned, beginning to walk away from her._

_Laughing, slightly confused, Himeno began to follow, but the necklace would not let her move. It was too heavy, effectively tying her down to the spot she stood. She tugged against it, pulled with all her might, yet it would not budge. She turned back to Hayate and tried to call out for help, but there was no sound. Helpless, she watched as he began to float away, disappearing into the circle of the sun. Still pulling against the necklace that trapped her, panic began to settle within her. Fear filled her heart, and she tried to scream, tried to voice her distress and frustration, but not a single noise escaped her lips._

_Then, a familiar, hauntingly sweet sound filled the air. She knew this tune, as if it were a very part of her soul. And so she relaxed, all her fear and dismay eased for the moment. Even as the world around her faded into a darkness so cold and foreboding that goosebumps formed on her skin, she remained calm. As long as this music circled around her, wrapping her in its embrace, she felt nothing but security and happiness. _

_Suddenly, a soft light from above shone in the darkness. Looking towards the bright, full moon that had appeared so suddenly, Himeno's breath caught in her throat at the sight of the man that was making his way towards her. From the circle of the moon Sasame emerged, floating down to the trapped Himeno._

_Landing softly in front of her, that all-too familiar sad smile upon his lips, he reached around her and unclasped the necklace from her neck. She turned her gaze to his to thank him, but the words faded when she truly looked at him. Himeno was shocked to see that his usually warm grey eyes were as tumultuous as the sea on a stormy day, tempestuous with emotion. Unused to this look in his eyes and slightly uneased by it, Himeno put her hand to his cheek, a gentle yet calming gesture. _

_She watched as he lifted a hand to hold hers against his face, eyes closed as if savoring the sensation. "Himeno," he whispered almost reverently, and when his eyes opened once more, they were filled with grief and loss._

_At the misery that seemed to fill his very soul, Himeno started. This was Sasame, the kind, wise, gentle Knight of Sound. Such a person should not experience such pain, should not even _know_ what such pain was. So she was confused at this dark emotion that seemed to consume him, watching in alarm as he began to fade into the darkness. And as he began to fade, so did the moon, slowly leaving her in an inky black. When the last of him disappeared, she heard him whisper again, only this time it seemed to resound within her, a sound so heartbroken and lost, so absolutely hopeless. "Himeno…"_

Crying out his name, Himeno woke with a start, only to find herself in darkness. For a moment, panic filled her bones until her eyes began to adjust to the lack of light. She realized that she was in her home, lying on her bed, and that it had just been a bad dream. Yet it was almost as if she could still hear the faint echoes of his pain-filled voice whispering her name, almost as if she could see his once warm eyes stormy with grief. Tears began to fall from her eyes, and though she fought against them, though she swiped and dashed the tears away, more followed in their wake. These tears were determined to fall, for they fell for the Knight of Sound and no one, not even Himeno, could stop them. And so she lay there, crying for her lost knight, until the light of day began to brighten her world.

* * *

Startled by the sound of chairs scraping against the floor, Himeno shook herself from her wandering thoughts and looked around. She was surprised to find that her classmates were putting their things away, heading for the door. Glancing at her watch, she quickly realized that her class had ended a few moments ago. Looking the blank document open on her laptop, she groaned, only now realizing that she had spent the class lost in thought, effectively missing the entire lecture.

Rubbing her hands roughly over her face, she began to put her things away, feeling oddly lethargic. As she wondered upon her tiredness, her thoughts immediately turned to the dream that had tormented her, consuming her thoughts and emotions with a premonition of dread. Her hand reached up for the ring that hung around her neck, strung on a simple silver chain, having found herself unable to wear it on her finger earlier that morning. She began to fiddle with it, a newfound nervous habit, as the dream that had wreaked havoc on her sleep filled her mind once more.

Walking outside of the building, done with classes for the day, Himeno turned her face up to the sun, basking in the warmth of it, chasing the chill of her fatigue away. With that little dose of vitamin D coursing through her system, she took a deep breath and thought about what she was going to do.

Most days she would head to Hayate's workplace after class, just to see his eyes light up in happiness at the sight of her, to see his mouth form her name, hear the sound fall from his lips like jewels. But the thought of seeing him filled her with dread, the sort of dread that felt as though it were eating away at her soul. She just couldn't imagine being able to hide her guilt and unease with him right now. And she was afraid that she would see past his happiness and find her guilt and unease mirrored in his blue eyes, as if her dream were a premonition of sorts.

So she began to walk in the opposite direction, heading for the park. Maybe wandering on the winding paths through the trees would straighten her thoughts and feelings.

* * *

She walked for a long time through the large park, and though the sights were beautiful and the sounds peaceful, Himeno saw and heard nothing. For she was lost in her cluttered mind, overgrown with ignored emotions and pushed-aside ideas. And she had no idea how to get out of this mess that she helped create.

With a sigh and a shake of the head, Himeno brought herself back to the reality she wandered and looked around to see where she ended up. Realizing she was in the quiet, remote part of the park that she hardly ever walked through, since it was so far off her usual path, her interest in her surroundings grew. Listening carefully, she heard water running nearby. Curiosity piqued, she followed the sound, only to find a small fountain, tucked in a secluded, intimate area.

With a gentle smile, Himeno sat on the small bench that faced the fountain, allowing her tense muscles to relax. But it wasn't long that her restless mind dragged her back to what had been tormenting her since Hayate gave her that promise ring.

Beginning to fiddle with said ring, fighting the urge to rip it off her neck and fling it into the fountain, Himeno closed her eyes tightly. Like a child that believes in magic and wishes, she whispered the name of the one person that would listen to and help her with any problem she had. "Sasame."

"Yes?" came an amused reply, the speaker sounding as if they were seated right next to her.

Surprised, Himeno's eyes flew open as she jumped, twisting to see who it was that had spoken. Unfortunately, her momentum and surprise combined against her, and her body moved much too close to the edge of the bench. Losing her balance, beginning to fall off the bench, Himeno began to flail her arms in an attempt to regain her balance, an embarrassingly high-pitched squeak escaping her lips.

Chuckling, Sasame grabbed the arm that she had extended out to grab the backrest of the bench, gently pulling her upright. But, once again, Himeno's momentum and surprise combined against her. For, once she felt the sturdiness of Sasame's grasp, she immediately propelled herself forward, focused solely on avoiding injury, eyes shut tight in case she failed and fell.

Once she was sure that she wasn't going to hit the ground anytime soon, Himeno peeked through her lashes, still expecting a jarring thud as her body hit solid earth. But what she saw still jolted her senses. For, inches from her face, was Sasame's very handsome, smiling face. His gray eyes were lit with a happiness that she always expected to see in them, but she was upset to see that exhaustion shadowed his beautiful eyes.

It was only as she was going to reach a hand to his face, as if she expected her touch to ease all weariness from him, that she realized how exactly they were positioned. She had propelled herself halfway into his lap, leaning forward into his sturdy frame. One of her hands was splayed on his chest where it had landed during her ascent upward, and she could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm, feel how it seemed to match her own quick heartbeat, thrum for thrum. Her other arm, the one that she had flailed in a reach for safety, was still in his hand, but his sturdy grasp had gentled. His other hand was around her waist, placed carefully to steady her, to let her know that she wasn't going to physically fall now that she was within his hands.

With a soft smile, Sasame watched as Himeno assessed their current position. When she finally turned her shocked, green gaze to his, he said, "Hello, Himeno."

Attempting to calm her erratic heartbeat at the sound of her name from his lips, Himeno forcefully slowed her heavy breaths. "Sasame?" she asked, gently pulling herself from him, ignoring how her body resisted the movement. "What are you doing here?"

With a smooth motion, Sasame let go of his hold on her and leaned back against the bench, effectively creating some distance between them. His gaze on the fountain, he replied, "Well, you have been calling me lately. I felt it would be polite of me to answer you."

"Y-you heard me?" Himeno asked, mortified.

Trying not to laugh at her expression, Sasame nodded. "Did you forget that I am the Knight of Sound? It's what I do. I would've come sooner, but I don't think Hayate would appreciate me interrupting you two...or appearing in your bedroom in the middle of the night." With a shrug, Sasame continued. "Plus, I had work and you had school this morning. So this was the best opportunity."

When Himeno did not respond, too busy trying to hide her blush and chagrin, Sasame turned to her, chuckling. "So. What can I do for you, Himeno?"

Finally noticing Sasame's attention on her, Himeno forced a too-bright smile onto her face. "I just haven't seen you in a really long time, that's all. I was a little bit worried, to be honest."

At this, Sasame turned his gaze away from her, turning back to the fountain, as if deciding how to react to her confession. While his focus was diverted, Himeno took the opportunity to search his appearance for any signs of sadness, like the ones that she had seen in her dreams. When she did not find any, she sighed in relief. But then, a thought fluttered through her mind. _He has always been good at hiding at his true feelings..._

Hearing her sigh, Sasame turned his attention back on the woman sitting beside him. He watched her shift uncomfortably for a few minutes under his gaze, when she turned to him suddenly and asked, "How have you been?"

Himeno watched an odd emotion flash in his eyes, gone as quickly as it had appeared. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke with a soft, easy-going smile. "I've been...busy."

Before she could get a chance to ponder on what the emotion had been and what exactly his response could mean, he looked at her with a mischevious smile and said, "You and Hayate have also been busy from what I've heard. How are things with you and you...chosen?"

Feeling her stomach clench uncomfortably, Himeno quickly turned her attention to the fountain. Beginning to fiddle with her necklace again, she replied after a moment with a bright voice. "Perfect."

Sasame cocked an eyebrow at Himeno, whose focus was trained on the fountain, as if it were spouting candy and chocolate instead of water. As the silence grew, Himeno felt panic rise within her, afraid that Sasame could see how _imperfect_ everything was. But his reply was simple. "That's good."

Together they sat in reserve, watching their invisible lies create a barrier between them, while at the same time swirling tighter and tighter, choking the air with tension. After a few minutes passed, when Himeno thought she would explode with grief, Sasame began to hum the tune from her music box. Instantly, Himeno relaxed, smiling at the sound. She closed her eyes, finding comfort in his lulling croon, and began to hum along. As their voices twirled around each other, chasing away the tension and lies, Himeno felt her soul lighten, the heaviness of her confusing emotions and dreams dancing away with their lullaby.

When the song ended, she opened her eyes and immediately sensed that Sasame had closed the distance that he had made for her comfort, now merely centimeters away from her, his arm on the back of the bench behind her. Though she was startled, she did not react as she usually did, with a surprised jump away from his close proximity. Instead, she did something that surprised herself; not because of how rash it was, but because of how natural it felt. She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder, lifting her hand up to rest on his chest.

She felt him stiffen against her, and then, with the softest of sighs, he relaxed, his body molding against hers. He placed his arm around her and smiled a pure and happy smile. At the same time, their eyes closed, peace finally surrounding their hearts, listening to the strong beat of the other's heart.

* * *

Miles away, overseeing the packing of boxes for a big delivery, Hayate felt the breeze against his face and stiffened. For the wind carried a message with it, telling its tale of where it had been, what it had seen and brushed against: _'trees...fountain...bench...favored one...beloved knight...'_

Frowning, Hayate processed this information unhappily. Mentally following the path of the wind, he pinpointed the two's location as he walked to his office. Once alone in his office, he closed his door and, with a small burst of blue light, he disappeared, transporting himself to where they were.

* * *

**A/N: Well, another successful chapter has been posted for this story! Yay! Sasame has finally made an appearance, with his beautiful gray eyes and gentle smiles. (*sigh*) He's so awesome.**

**Sorry it has been so long updating this story. But I recently got a review that reminded me about this story and inspired me to write another chapter. Thanks anonymous reviewer! Because of you, the story continues. :)**

**Btw, I do not own Pretear. If I did...Sasame would be without glasses way more often.**


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